With the increased popularity of video games and public arcades in which such games and other coin operated machines are available for use, the problems of security have become quite severe. Video games, vending machines and other coin operated machines in general are manufactured with an access door or drawer on the exterior of the machine which contains or conceals the coin box. Such door or drawer is often provided with a key operated barrel lock. Unfortunately, little security is provided in this manner, since such locks can be pried open resulting in numerous break-ins. To overcome this problem, manufacturers and arcade operators, as well as vending and gaming machine companies in general, have provided additional locking mechanisms which extend across the face of the access door or drawer containing the coin box to provide additional security. These devices often take the form of an elongated flat metallic bar secured in place by one or more padlocks. While this is undoubtedly more effective then merely a barrel lock on the coin box, it does not completely eliminate break-ins, since the bar often does not fit snugly against the access door and exposed segments of the locking device can be easily hacksawed or sheared.
In addition, the use of external padlocks is somewhat inconvenient due to the necessity of operating personnel maintaining additional keys for each machine.